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Chuck Noll: No. 5 all time on ESPN list

Chuck Noll, who went from the lowest to the greatest heights in coaching, checks in at No. 5 on ESPN's countdown of the greatest coaches in NFL history.

Noll went 1-13 in his first season with the Pittsburgh Steelers but soon took the franchise to the highest level ever achieved by an NFL team. Taking over a team that had never won a title of any kind, Noll guided the Steelers to four Super Bowl victories in a six-year period. Noll is the only coach to win four Super Bowls.

"I don't see current coaches dealing with players the way he did," former Steelers defensive back Mel Blount said. "It's a different game now, and I see a lot of coaches getting caught up in the media with the way they deal with players. You see it on the sidelines. Chuck Noll was always consistent. You wouldn't see him give a high five if you made a great play or get in your face if you made a bad play. I guess that would make Chuck Noll a dinosaur now."

Noll's teams won nine AFC Central Division championships and they had winning records in 15 of his last 20 seasons with the Steelers. Hall of Famers Joe Greene, Jack Ham, Mel Blount, Terry Bradshaw, Lambert, Swann and Stallworth played their entire careers under Noll.

Click on the video above to see "Mean" Joe Greene, Terry Bradshaw, Mike Tomlin and Jack Lambert discuss why Noll is one of the greatest coaches in NFL history.

I'm assuming Don Shula, Vince Lombardi, Paul Brown and Bill Walsh are the top 4. If Walsh beats Noll then this list was a waste of time. Shula and Walsh (if even in the top 5) should be 4 and 5 with Noll 3rd.

I'm assuming Don Shula, Vince Lombardi, Paul Brown and Bill Walsh are the top 4. If Walsh beats Noll then this list was a waste of time. Shula and Walsh (if even in the top 5) should be 4 and 5 with Noll 3rd.

Oh, please.
Stop with the black and gold glasses.
Walsh EASY over Noll.

Noll changed a team, Walsh changed THE LEAGUE.
Offenses and defenses have been influenced by Walsh like no coach in modern history.
Our defense was created to counter Walsh's offense.

And please dont pull the Noll has 4 rings to Walsh's 3

Walsh LEFT a SB champion. Had he stayed he'd have more rings, certainly the one Seifort got.

We had ridiculous talent. But little on the way of innovative strategy.
Noll won 4 Sbs true. Not a one without every single one of the nine HOFers on the team (should be 10 with LC).

In the middle of our dynasty:
Franco out....crushed by the Raiders
LC out....Beaten by a sorry Bronco team

74 draft started the SB run and we never won a SB when missing even ONE of our HOFers.
Joe Greene retires a SB champ....Next season we are third place in the division. One guy gone.
Never to whiff a SB again under Noll

Walsh's first and last SB team only had a couple of common players.

His scheme led to continued success after he left.

And Shula? What did he have in the way of talent.....and he went undefeated.......Beating a Steelers team with FIVE HOFers on the way to the SB win.
Noll needed NINE to be better than Shula.

I wouldn't say easy over Noll, but I certainly agree that people lose their objectivity when it comes to their team. Walsh, Noll, Shula, Joe Gibbs... I mean, you could go any which way from probably Parcells on down (and yes... I'll even include Belichick*) and have no argument.

On my list
Bill Cowher (Not a Homer pick, actually belongs)
Dan Reeves (Of the guys who never won the big one, I would put him above Grant)
George Siefert ( 2 Super Bowl wins with one of the greatest all time teams and didnt make ESPNs list??)

BTW, I think the top 5 is obvious. 2 through 4 could go in any order, and you could make a case for any of those three guys to be ahead of one of the others. I think Walsh is clear number 5. I just dont see how you make a case for him to be higher.

BTW, I think the top 5 is obvious. 2 through 4 could go in any order, and you could make a case for any of those three guys to be ahead of one of the others. I think Walsh is clear number 5. I just dont see how you make a case for him to be higher.

You can't make a case for Walsh? He was the West Coast Offense to prominence (i.e. changed the game). He earned 3 rings over the course of one decade. As Lemming (above) also pointed out: His predecessor (Seifert) immediately one a ring for himself off that team (i.e. It is conceivable that Walsh earned that ring, giving him four.) I'm not saying he is, but I'm also not unrealistic in saying that he doesn't belong (in the conversation).

Woulda, shoulda, coulda means very little. Actual numbers and stats is what Im looking at. Noll actually has 4 rings. 4 Rings in 6 years is unheard of and may very well never be done by one coach again. Shula has 347 wins and a winning percentage of .665. Noll has 209 wins and 4 Super Bowl wins(the only coach with 4). Lombardi has 105 wins but has a ridiculous .740 winning percentage. Walsh has 104 wins and a winning percentage of only .617. I give Walsh his due, and while he may be in the conversation, show me one hardcore fact that puts him ahead of the other three.

these rankings are almost all a joke.
look at the list and see who won without a franchise qb.
dungy.......a little over 500 with the bucs. lets manning run the team while stands there doing nothing and racks up the wins(still chokes in playoffs tho)
shanahan..........wins with elway, blows without
levy...won with kelly, sucked without
coughlin.......nice job with an expansion team, had eli in NY. still just ba mid 500 guy that cashed in a 2 superbowls
johnson........built a nice with in dallas for a couple years, jumped to miami and was decent there withj no superstar qb.
parcells.......did a nice job with a variety of teams but needed the franchise qb to win it all
gibbs...................theisman
belichek...............cheating and brady.

the common denominator for most of the 'great' coaches is having a hall of fame qb to carry them.
give me a coach with a decent/good qb that wins over a coach with a hall of famer calling all the shots.
too much credit is given to these coaches. just about any coach can be successful with a franchise, HOF qb running the show.